Take your complaints to Delhi, BSY tells dissenters

DAVANAGERE: A day after expanding his cabinet, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, who was brimming with confidence on Thursday, hit back at the disgruntled legislators. He advised them to take up their issues with the central leadership and not embarrass the party and the state government by making public statements.

Addressing the media at the GMIT helipad in the city, he stressed that he had the full backing of the party top leadership. Dissenting legislators can take their complaint to the Delhi leaders, who will decide on it, he remarked in a warning tone. He also said that he has no objecting to MLAs lodging complaints against him with the top brass.

“I have no fear of any CD. The cabinet was expanded as per the directions of the BJP national leadership. All the options were weighed before the expansion was taken up and the best interests of the party have been safeguarded. As per the directions of high command, one berth is still kept vacant,” the CM noted.

Many BJP legislators had expressed displeasure after seven new ministers — Umesh Katti, C P Yogeshwara, Murugesh Nirani, S Angara, M T B Nagaraj, R Shankar and Aravind Limbavali — were inducted into the cabinet on Wednesday. Some legislators had even questioned the induction of MLCs and the regional disparity in representation of districts.

Shah will clear air about bypoll candidate

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s two-day visit to Karnataka from January 16 is significant for the state BJP unit and Yediyurappa in many ways, as the chief minister tries to stem the dissent against him by a section of the party leaders. Shah will be addressing a mammoth gathering to felicitate the newly elected gram panchayat membe r s at the‘Jana Sevak Samavesha’.

This is being seen as a morale booster for the BJP cadre before the Zilla and Taluk panchayat polls that are scheduled to be held in April/May. Shah’s visit will also clear air on the candidate for the upcoming bypoll to the Belagavi Lok Sabha seat which has fallen vacant with the death of the former Union minister Suresh Angadi.

Yogeshwar had to raise Rs 9 cr loan: Jarkiholi
Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi on Thursday stirred a hornet’s nest when he said that Minister C P Yogeshwar had worked hard to unite rebel legislators prior to the formation of the BJP government and, in the process, raised Rs 9 crore loan by mortgaging his house besides borrowing money from Minister M T B Nagaraj.